GIFTS FROM GOD Part 1

Gifts From God:

Reasons Gifts Are Given

Part 1

Matthew 7:11 (ESV) If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

We know our heavenly Father has blessed us with gifts. That goes without any doubt or discussion. But what gifts has He given us, and why has He given them? What is the difference between the Father’s blessings of temporal and eternal gifts? What are the gifts God gives to all of His creation, no matter if they are spiritually saved or lost? What are some of the differences between the gifts of man and the gifts of God? These questions and more will be answered in this series titled “Embrace Your God-Given Gifts.”

According to the Scriptures, all good and perfect gifts come from the Father.

James 1:17 (ESV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Before jumping into the “Gifts of God,” let’s look at the gifts we receive from people and some of the motives that may lie behind them. In doing this, we will better understand the goodness of our heavenly Father, who gives with proper motive and without strings attached.

Sometimes, someone may just want to bless us. We must be willing to receive the blessing. Let’s not forget the good others have done for us. This would include the way pastors labor for our well-being.

We will speak on this later. But first, let’s look at some of the negative reasons gifts are given.

Giving On Behalf Of Someone Else To Appease Bad Behavior

Sometimes, someone may be called on to give a blessing and a gift to someone on behalf of a friend or family member because of their short-sightedness. For the complete story, read 1 Samuel chapter 25 to see how Abigale brought gifts on behalf of her wicked husband.

1 Samuel 25:3 (ESV) Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.

1 Samuel 25:5-6 (ESV) So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.

1 Samuel 25:10-11 (ESV) And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?”

1 Samuel 25:14 (ESV) But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.

1 Samuel 25:21 (ESV) Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good.

1 Samuel 25:23 (ESV) When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground.

1 Samuel 25:27 (ESV) And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.

1 Samuel 25:35 (ESV) Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

To Be Continued...